Page 31 of Laugh

“Yeah.” Her breathy answer makes me want to kiss her again, but I can see she’s overwhelmed.

“Happy?”

“Hmm?” And we’re back to sounds instead of words.

Stroking my thumb over her chin, my eyes dance back and forth between hers. I remember what Addie told me earlier today and the advice she gave me about ensuring I’m perfectly clear with her.

“I really am looking forward to our date. I also want you to know that Ilikelike you.”

She erupts in a borderline hysterical giggle and shakes her head at me. “Ilikelike you too. Did you say that because I saiddatedate?”

Shrugging, I pull back and move to stand up. “I’m just being pulled along whatever train you’re driving. Tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at seven?”

She stands up and follows me to the door, still grinning from ear to ear. “I’ll be ready at seven for ourdatedate.”

Pressing a kiss to her cheek, I whisper, “I can’t wait.” Then leave her apartment. Once I hear the soft click of the door and the sound of her locking up behind me, I head down to my car with an extra spring in my step.

Chapter 11

Not in the Blender!

Haddie

Groaning into my pillow, I yell out, “I can’tdothis!” It comes out muffled even to my own ears, but Marcus hears me anyway.

Chuckling, his snarky, condescending voice grates on my eardrums. “Suck it up, buttercup.”

“I wish you could see how hard I’m glaring at you right now.” And I am. I’m glaring so freaking hard; I’m surprised my phone isn’t crawling away to hide in a hole. “Screw this crap. I’m just going to bring all of these dresses over to you since you refuse to come here and help a girl out.”

“No! Sorry, I can’t have you come over right now. If you’re that worried, we can do a video chat.”

My glare turns to concern. “Marcus, why can’t I come over right now? Oh my God,do you have someone over there?” I whisper hiss at him.

I snicker when he actually whines at me. “Noooo. Of course I freaking don’t. It’s just really messy, okay? I’ve been meaning to pick up. I’m going to do it this week because my mom is insisting on bringing over this shelf thing. She found it in the basement, and it was my great great aunt’s or something like that.”

“I’m rolling my eyes at you. I don’t care if you have a mess. You’ve seen me at my worst, but I get it. Which aunt was it? Was it the one who had that freaky Victorian house tucked back in the woods?” I move into the closet to continue flipping through my clothes to find something I’ll be comfortable wearing.

“I swear that place was haunted. Yeah, I think it’s from there. I actually think it’s more of a curio cabinet because it’s got lights and a mirrored back.”

Giggling as I pull out a cream colored, knee length babydoll dress, I hold it up to my body in front of my mirror. “What if you store china in there and it comes to life when you’re sleeping? Ooh, maybe you should put a duster or something in there and it’ll clean for you at midnight!”

“You’re not writing a sex book about my duster and Great Great Aunt Eleanor’s curio cabinet.”

Humming to myself, I refuse to say I won’t write it. “I think I found a good dress. It’s that cream one that I wore to Alex’s college graduation. Do you think that one would be okay?”

“I’ll only answer if you promise not to write about Eleanor,” he grumbles, then yawns loudly into the phone.

“I heard your jaw pop on that one. And fine, I won’t write it. Now tell me, should I wear this?” I pull my shirt off and slip it on while I wait for his answer and continue to turn and look at it from different angles.

“I think it looks great on you. Aren’t you worried it screams ‘bride’, though?”

Pausing, I blink at my reflection, then cry out, “Well,nowI’m going to! Jesus, Marcus. Why would you say that to me?”

Laughing hysterically, he snorts once before he calms down. “I’m just messing with you. Bride is a great look on you.”

“Ass.” I decide to say screw it and wear the dress anyway. It’s the only one that doesn’t feeltoodressy and it makes me feel pretty. “Are you going out to O’Reilly’s tonight?”

Marcus sounds tired when he sighs into the phone again. “I don’t know. It’s not as fun when you’re not there. Addie said she and the girls are going out tonight and invited me to meet her there since you’re ditching me for the evening, so we’ll see.”

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